Soul singers' vocal ranges
Reported catalog ranges for 101 Soul singers run from A#1 to G7, with a median span of about 3.0 octaves. Gospel-rooted grit and chest-voice belting, with power in the middle of the voice.
What sets Soul singing apart
Soul grew out of gospel and rhythm and blues in the late 1950s and 1960s, and its signature is raw emotional intensity: gospel-style melisma, grit and climactic belting in chest voice. The style rewards power through the middle and upper middle of the voice more than extreme top notes.
R&B is the broader lineage, and in its contemporary form lighter tone, fast runs and head voice carry more of the line.
How ranges sit in Soul
- The median reported catalog span across these profiles is 36 semitones, 3.5 semitones wider than the library median of 32.5.
- Largest reported span here is Mariah Carey (F2–G7); the lowest listed endpoint belongs to CeeLo Green and Childish Gambino at A#1 and the highest listed endpoint to Mariah Carey at G7.
- Catalog voice labels here, most common first: tenors, mezzo-sopranos, baritones, contraltos, sopranos, countertenors, bass.
Every profile's figures are commonly cited spans confirmed against the catalog, not recordings checked note by note; open a profile for what its sources support.
Where would your voice sit on this chart?
The free range test runs in your browser in about two minutes and reports your lowest and highest notes in the same note names as every bar below.
Every voice on one axis
full voice, up to the cited ceiling above it: falsetto · head · whistle no full-voice ceiling cited whistle register listed
Singers Aaron Neville through Curtis Mayfield
- Aaron NevilleG2–A#5G2–A#53.3 oct
- AdeleC3–A#5C3–A#52.8 oct
- Al GreenF2–A#5F2–A#53.4 oct
- Alicia KeysA2–A#5A2–A#53.1 oct
- Amy WinehouseC3–D#5C3–D#52.3 oct
- Andra DayE3–F#5E3–F#52.2 oct
- Anita BakerC#3–C#6C#3–C#63.0 oct
- Annie LennoxG2–A5G2–A53.2 oct
- Aretha FranklinG2–E6G2–E63.8 oct
- Ari LennoxA#2–E6A#2–E63.5 oct
- Barry WhiteD2–E4D2–E42.2 oct
- Bill WithersF2–A4F2–A42.3 oct
- Bob MarleyF2–C5F2–C52.6 oct
- Bobby HatfieldB2–D#6B2–D#63.3 oct
- Boy GeorgeD2–A5D2–A53.6 oct
- Brian McKnightA2–A#5A2–A#53.1 oct
- CeeLo GreenA#1–C6A#1–C64.2 oct
- Chaka KhanF2–B5F2–B53.5 oct
- Childish GambinoA#1–C6A#1–C64.2 oct
- Chris StapletonF2–B4F2–B42.5 oct
- Curtis MayfieldG2–A#5G2–A#53.3 oct
Singers Cynthia Erivo through Gregory Porter
- Cynthia ErivoE3–C6E3–C62.7 oct
- D'AngeloG2–A#5G2–A#53.3 oct
- Daniel CaesarC#3–F#5C#3–F#52.4 oct
- Daryl HallE2–C6E2–C63.7 oct
- David RuffinA2–E6A2–E63.6 oct
- Dennis BrownG2–D5G2–D52.6 oct
- Diana RossD#3–C6D#3–C62.8 oct
- Donny HathawayF2–C5F2–C52.6 oct
- Dusty SpringfieldC3–D#5C3–D#52.3 oct
- Ella MaiC3–G#5C3–G#52.7 oct
- Emeli SandéD3–F5D3–F52.3 oct
- Erykah BaduG2–D5G2–D52.6 oct
- Etta JamesG#2–B5G#2–B53.3 oct
- Faith EvansC#3–C#6C#3–C#63.0 oct
- FantasiaC3–A#5C3–A#52.8 oct
- George MichaelE2–A5E2–A53.4 oct
- GiveonF#2–F#4F#2–F#42.0 oct
- Gladys KnightE3–D5E3–D51.8 oct
- Glenn HughesD2–D6D2–D64.0 oct
- Gregory PorterF2–G4F2–G42.2 oct
Singers H.E.R. through Lewis Capaldi
- H.E.R.C3–F#5C3–F#52.5 oct
- HozierE2–E5E2–E53.0 oct
- India.ArieA2–C6A2–C63.3 oct
- Jackie WilsonA2–C#6A2–C#63.3 oct
- James BrownF2–C5F2–C52.6 oct
- Janis JoplinA2–A#5A2–A#53.1 oct
- Jazmine SullivanA2–C#6A2–C#63.3 oct
- Jennifer HudsonA2–C6A2–C63.3 oct
- Jhené AikoB2–E6B2–E63.4 oct
- Jill ScottC3–E5C3–E52.3 oct
- Jimmy CliffF2–C5F2–C52.6 oct
- Joe CockerG2–A#4G2–A#42.3 oct
- John LegendE2–A#5E2–A#53.5 oct
- Joss StoneC3–G5C3–G52.6 oct
- Keyshia ColeC3–A#5C3–A#52.8 oct
- Lauryn HillA#2–A5A#2–A52.9 oct
- Lenny KravitzA2–A#5A2–A#53.1 oct
- Leon BridgesB2–G4B2–G41.7 oct
- Leona LewisC3–F#6C3–F#63.5 oct
- Lewis CapaldiF2–E5F2–E52.9 oct
Singers Lionel Richie through Ravyn Lenae
- Lionel RichieF2–G5F2–G53.2 oct
- Lola YoungE3–A#5E3–A#52.5 oct
- Luther VandrossB2–A5B2–A52.8 oct
- Macy GrayA2–D6A2–D63.4 oct
- Mariah CareyF2–G7F2–G75.2 oct
- Marvin GayeF2–A#5F2–A#53.4 oct
- Mary J. BligeA2–C6A2–C63.3 oct
- MaxwellA2–C6A2–C63.3 oct
- Michael McDonaldG#2–A5G#2–A53.1 oct
- Minnie RipertonD3–F#7D3–F#74.3 oct
- MisiaF3–F6F3–F63.0 oct
- MonicaB2–B5B2–B53.0 oct
- Musiq SoulchildC3–F#5C3–F#52.5 oct
- Nina SimoneG2–F5G2–F52.8 oct
- Otis ReddingF2–C5F2–C52.6 oct
- Patti LaBelleA#2–E6A#2–E63.5 oct
- Philip BaileyG2–D6G2–D63.6 oct
- Rachelle FerrellG2–D7G2–D74.6 oct
- Rag'n'Bone ManG2–B5G2–B53.3 oct
- Ravyn LenaeC#3–C#6C#3–C#63.0 oct
Singers Ray Charles through Yebba
- Ray CharlesC2–A#5C2–A#53.8 oct
- RAYEC#3–D6C#3–D63.1 oct
- Sade AduE3–D5E3–D51.8 oct
- Sam CookeA2–E5A2–E52.6 oct
- Sam SmithG2–C6G2–C63.4 oct
- SealD#2–G5D#2–G53.3 oct
- Smokey RobinsonA2–A#5A2–A#53.1 oct
- SolangeD3–E6D3–E63.2 oct
- Stevie WonderC2–E6C2–E64.3 oct
- SZAE3–C6E3–C62.7 oct
- TamiaD#3–D6D#3–D62.9 oct
- Teddy PendergrassE2–A#4E2–A#42.5 oct
- Teddy SwimsE2–A5E2–A53.4 oct
- Tina TurnerG2–D#5G2–D#52.7 oct
- Tom JonesG2–A#4G2–A#42.3 oct
- Toni BraxtonA#2–A#5A#2–A#53.0 oct
- Toots HibbertG2–C5G2–C52.4 oct
- Van MorrisonG2–D5G2–D52.6 oct
- Wilson PickettA#2–E6A#2–E63.5 oct
- YebbaD3–G5D3–G52.4 oct